Malai ChamCham

malai chomchom

Preparation Time : 1 hour
Cooking Time : 1 hour

Ingredients :

• Milk : 6 cups +2 cups
• Lemon : 1
• Maida : 1 tsp
• Sugar : 2 cups + 4 tbsp
• Water : 5 cups
• Elaichi : 3 crushed
• Pistachio : 5-6 
• Saffron : pinch

Procedure :

1) In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, stir occasionally, making sure not to burn
    milk.As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the
    milk gently.Lower the heat. Almost in seconds you will see the milk curdle
    and clumps of white milk solids forming.When you see the greenish water
    separating ,turn off the heat and let it sit for 4-5 minutes.

2) Now drain the chana using a strainer line with a cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
    Next lightly rinse the chana with water to remove the lemon taste and let it
    drain.Squeeze out  the excess water from the chana.
 

3)  Once the chana is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the
     chana for 15-20 minutes until the chana is almost rolls into smooth soft
     dough.In the mean time, you add 1 tsp of maida.Knead the chana with the
     heel of your palm .The chana will become smooth and your palm will  be
     little oily from the fat of the chana.

4)  Take small portion of it and roll into small balls between your palm. The
      balls should be smooth and firm.Now give Chamcham an oval shape and
      place it on a plate. Prepare all Chamcham balls.Approximately 9-10
     chamcham will be made from this measure.

5)  In a heavy bottom pan make a syrup adding 5 cups of water and 2 cups
     of sugar. Keep it at medium high heat and  bring to boil. Add 2-3 crushed
     cardamom.let it boil for 5-6 minutes.Syrup should be thin.

6)  Add all raw chhana  to the syrup .Cover the pan with lid.Cook in high
     heat for first 4-5 minutes,then cook for another 20-25 minutes in medium
     heat.Now turn off  the heat and wait for 10-15 minutes.

7)  Only take out Chamcham with no sugar syrup and put it in a bowl.

8)  Make kheer / malai in a small pan.Add 2 cups of milk and boil it. Stir continuously .
     Other wise milk will burn at the bottom.Boil milk till its volume become half.
     Add 4 tbsp of sugar and stir it still it dissolves in milk.Turn off the heat and let
     it settle down for 3-4 minutes.

9)  Now pour kheer/ malai over chamcham in the bowl. Garnish with 5-6 finely
     chopped pistachios and saffron. Add 1/2 tsp of rose water over chamcham.

     Serve it chilled or warm.

Nolen Gurer Sandesh

nolen gurer sandesh

Preparation Time : 2 hours
Serves : 10

Ingredients :

• Whole Milk : 1 & 1/2 litre
• Lemon juice : 1 large
• Sugar : 4 tbsp
• Gur  :1 cup grated
• Elaichi powder : 1/2 tsp
• Raisins : 20-25

Procedure :

1)  In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, stir occasionally, making sure not to burn
     milk.As the milk starts boiling, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the
     milk gently.Lower the heat to medium. In few minutes milk will curdle and
     cluster of white milk solids will forms.When you see the greenish water
     separating ,take it off from heat.

2) Now drain the chana using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.

    Next lightly rinse the chana with water to remove the lemony taste and let it
    drain.Squeeze out  the excess water from the chana.Take out the excess water
    firmly press the cloth, or put  the wrapped chana under a heavy pan for about
    one hour.

3) Once the chana is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the chana
    for 15 minutes until the chana is  almost rolls into smooth soft dough .Knead
    the chana with the heel of your palm .The chana will look like a smooth  dough.
    You can also knead it with blender.

4) Now add sugar, gur and elaichi powder and again knead for 5 minutes till gur
     and sugar properly mix with chana.

5) Take a non stick pan add chana .On a medium low heat start cooking the mixture.

    You need to keep stirring it continuously to avoid burning at the bottom, while
    doing so scrape the sides occasionally.Keep stirring for 5 minutes.Switch off
    the heat and take it out on a plate or bowl.  Cover and keep it in refrigerator
    for atleast an hour.

6) Now take out from refrigerator and make sandesh.Give shape as you like.

    Garnish them with raisins.

    Serve chilled.

Sahi Paneer

sahi paneer

Preparation Time :15-20 minutes
Cooking Time : 30-35 minutes
Serves : 4-5

Ingredients :

• Paneer : cut into small cubes 200 gm
• Onion : 1 /2 cup paste
• Cloves :3 
• Black peppercorn : 3-4
• Cinnamon stick : 1"
• Cardamom : 2-3
• Bay leaf : 1 medium
• Green chillies : 2 slit
• Ginger-garlic paste : 1-2 tsp
• Cashew nut paste : 1/4 cup
• Yogurt : 1/2 cup
• Fresh cream : 2-3 tbsp
• Saffron : pinch
• Garam masala powder :1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Green cardamom: 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil : 4 tbsp

Procedure :

1) Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add onion ,fry it for 2 minutes.
     Then make a smooth paste of it in a blender.
2) Add remaining oil and heat it. You can fry paneer pieces very lightly
    if you want. Keep aside.
3) Otherwise temper oil with bay leaf,cloves,peppercorn,cinnamon stick
     and green chilies.
4) Now add onion paste and fry for 5-6 minutes.
5) Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
6) Add cashewnut paste and beaten yogurt ,mix them well.Stir continously
    and fry till all moisture is absorbed.
7) Add garam masala powder,salt and green cardamom powder with little
    water(1/2 cup) ,mix them well and cook for 5-7 minutes.
8) Now strain the gravy .
9) Now pour the gravy in the hot pan and add paneer pieces . Add a pinch
   of saffron and cook for 4-5 minutes in medium heat.
10) Add fresh cream ,mix it well and switch off the gas.

Serve hot with naan, rice or paratha.

Bengali Langcha

bengali langcha

Preparation Time  : 1 hour
Cooking Time : 1 hour - 1/2 hour

Ingredients :

• Chana : 2 cups
• Maida : 1 tsp
• Basmati rice flour : 1 tsp
• Khoya kheer : 1 cup
• Jaiphal-javitri powder : 2 pinch
• Baking soda : 1 pinch
• Nakul Dana : 15 or more
• Sugar : 2 tbsp
• Mustard oil : 1 tsp
• Cardamom : 5-7 crushed
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Ghee : 2  tbsp heaped or you can fry langchas in ghee only.
• Water : 5 cups + 2 cups 
• Sugar : 2 cups + 1 cup

Procedure :

1) First on a flat surface like kitchen slab, put chana ,khoya  kheer,2 tbsp
    sugar, baking soda, javitri and jaiphal powder.Knead it well with the
    help of both palms for 10 minutes so that there are no lumps in the
    mixture.
2) Now add maida and basmati rice powder. Again knead for half an
     hour.You have to make a soft dough.
3) Now you have to take mustard oil in both palm and knead the dough
     very well for another 10 -15 minutes.The dough will remove oil.
4) Now in a plate put 1 tsp of musard oil and spread it .
5) Now put a heavy bottom large pan and pour 5 cups of water and 2 cups
    of sugar. Boil it.Add 4-5 crushed cardamom and boil it for 8-10 minutes.
    Now make heat very low so that syrup remains warm. Make it light syrup.
6) Take another small pan and pour 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar or
     little less than 1 cup and 2 crushed cardamom.Let it boil and make thick
     syrup. Turn off the heat.
7) Now make equal size round balls out of the dough,put 1 nakul dana inside
    the balls,  then  shape them into long cylinders, the shape of langcha. Roll
    the dough with your palms on the slab to make them even and smooth.
    Cover the raw langchas with a wet kitchen towel .
8) In a frying pan heat 2 tbsp ghee and 1 cup oil . Now lower the heat to
    medium -low.
9) Now add 5 langchas in hot oil and fry in low heat evenly on all sides till
    its colour changes to dark brown. While frying langchas will increase in
    size so either use very  large pan or fry in small quantities. Do not over fry
    it will burn.
10) Now put the fried langchas in light syrup and stir continously in it for
      15 minutes. This will help the langchas to be soft inside and its outer
      surface will be little crispy.
11) Atlast take out langchas from light syrup and put it in thick syrup .let it
      there for 10 minutes.Remove from syrup.
     Serve langchas warm or chilled.

Rasamalai

rasamalai

Preparation Time :1 - 2 minutes
Cooking Time : 40-45 minutes
Serve : 4-5

Ingredients :

• Whole milk : 500 ml
• Rasgulla : 8-10 (Canned rasgulla can be used,or you can make them.)
• Cardamom : 2-3 crushed
• Saffron strands : 7-8
• Sugar : 1 tbsp or you can add more
• Pistachio : 1 tbsp finely chopped for garnishing

Procedure :

1) Boil milk in a pan for 30 minutes in medium high heat.Stir continously
    till its volume reduces to 3/4 th of its original volume. Scrape off the
    cream that will collects on all sides of the pan.
2) Add crushed cardamom and saffron strands. Boil milk for 5 minutes.
    Reduce the heat.
3) Remove rosogolla from syrup and squeeze extra syrup from it.
4) Add rosogolla to the milk  and add a table spoon of sugar. Taste if you
    need more sugar.Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

    Garnish it chopped pistachio and serve chilled.

Chana r Dalna

chanar dalna

Preparation Time :10-15 minutes
Cooking Time : 40-50 minutes
Serve : 4
Ingredients:

• Homemade paneer /chana : 1 cup
• Maida : 1tsp
• Salt to taste
• Bay leaf : 1 medium
• Panch phoron : 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chili : 2
• Potato : 2-3 medium cut into small cubes
• Tomato : 1 medium finely chopped
• Ginger paste : 1  tsp
• Cumin powder : 1 tsp
• Corriander powder : 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder : 1 tsp
• Sugar to taste
• Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli : 2 chopped
• Ghee : 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil : 4 tbsp

Procedure :

1) Boil milk and curdled milk with lemon juice. Strain chana by using
    muslin cloth.wash it under water, squeeze it and han it for half an
    hour. Squeeze out water completely.Now take a plate , put chana,
    maida , pinch of salt , sugar and one chopped green chilies.Knead
    chana for 1 minute and make a chana dough.
2) From the dough divide 9-10 chana balls and round them and slightly
    press and give them a pattie like shape.
3) Take a pan and heat oil.Then potatoes and keep aside. Fry chana balls
    and also keep aside.
4) Now in the same pan add little oil ,heat it. Then add bay leaf, panch
    phoron and dry red chili for tempering.
5) In medium heat add ginger paste,cumin powder,coriander powder,
    kashmiri red chili powder, chopped tomatoes.Mix them well and cook
    until oil comes out form masala.
6) Now add fried potato,salt  and 1 cup of water. Gently stir it and cover
    the pan with a lid.
7) When all potatoes become soft add fried chana balls.If gravy is too thick,
    add little water and boil it.
8) Sprinkle sugar ,garam masala powder and ghee. Mix well. Turn off the
    heat.
   Serve hot with plain rice.

Rajbhog

rajbhog

Ingredients :

• Paneer /Chhana : made from 1 litre
• Sugar : 2 cups + 1 tbsp
• Kesar / Saffron : 1/2 tsp soaked in 1 tbsp+ 1 tsp milk
• Suji / semolina : 1 tsp
• Maida/ all purpose flour : 1 tsp
• Milk powder(unsweetened) or mawa: 1/4 cup
• Green cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
• Pistachio (blanched and chopped): 1 tsp
• Water: 5 cups 
• Green cardamom: 6-7
• Saffron: few strands
• Rose water: 1-2 tbsp

Procedure:

1) Make channa / paneer and drain out all excess water from it.
2) Put chhana/paneer on plate. Add sugar (1 tbsp), semolina, flour
    and saffron to the chhana and mix very well.Mix all the ingredients
    very well.  Knead the dough with heel of your palm for 10 minutes,
    to make a smooth dough.
3) Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and cover the dough with a wet
    kitchen towel.
4) Now take another plate and put milk powder,green cardamom powder,
    pistachio and saffron soaked in 1 tbsp. Mix all the ingredients for the
   stuffing and divide the stuffing into 10 small balls.
5) Stuff the chhana/panner balls with the stuffing balls. Make smooth
    round balls. Cover the chhana balls with a wet kitchen towel.
6) Now make syrup .In a large deep container boil 2 cups of sugar
    and 4 cups of water. Add green cardamom, saffron to the syrup,
    let the syrup boil. As the syrup rolls to boil add the chhana balls
    carefully. Reduce heat, cover the container and cook the chhana balls.
   Cook the chhana balls for 40-45 min. In between add 1 cup of warm
   water to keep the consistency of the syrup right. Make sure you are
   using a large enough container to accommodate all the chhana balls
   and as the chhana balls are cooked they will swell up to double their size.
7) Switch off heat, remove pan from heat and let it cool down.
    Serve hot or cold

Homemade Paneer

chhana

Ingredients:

• Whole milk: 1 lit
• lemon  juice : 2 large

Procedure:

1) In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, stirr occasionally, making sure

    not to burn milk.As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice
    gradually  and stir the milk gently.Lower the heat. Almost in
    seconds you will see the milk curdle and clumps of white milk
    solids forming.When you see the greenish water separating ,take
    it off from heat. Let it sit for 4-5 minutes.

2) Now drain the chhana using a strainer line with cheesecloth or
    muslin cloth. Next lightly rinse the chana with water to remove
    the lemony taste and let it drain.squeeze out  the remaining water
    from the chana.  It is very important that the chana is drained
    of all excess water.  To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth,
    or press the wrapped chana under a heavy pan .
    Use this chana for making sweets or eat it with sugar.

Aloo Matar Paneer

aloo matar paneer

Ingredients :

• Potato : 2 medium cut into cubes
• Paneer : 100 gm cut into cubes
• Green peas : 1/2 cup
• Bay leaves : 1 medium
• Panch phoron : 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chili : 2 
• Green chilies : 2
• Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
• Kasmiri red chili powder : 1tsp
• Ginger paste : 1 tbsp
• Yogurt : 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Sugar : 1 tbsp
• Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
• Kasoori methi : 1/4 tsp
• Ghee : 1tsp
• Vegetable oil : 3-4 tbsp

Procedure :

1) In a pan heat oil , fry paneer till lightly browned, stirring frequent
    and keep aside.
2) In the same pan add bay leaf, dry red chili, panch phoron and wait
    for few seconds.
3) Add potatoes and fry for 5 minutes in medium heat .
4) Now add turmeric powder , cumin powder, kashmiri red chili powder,
    ginger paste, salt and fry till oil comes out.
5) In a small bowl beat yogurt with little sugar.
6) Add green peas and mix well.
7) Now add yogurt and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
8) And paneer cubes and mix well.
9) Now add green chili and 1/2 cup of water.Cover and cook till potatoes
    are done.
10) Add sugar and mix well
11) Now sprinkle garam masala powder and mix well.
12) Sprinkle kasoori methi mix well and add a tsp of ghee.
       And turn off the heat.
      Serve hot with steam rice or roti.

Palak Paneer

palak paneer

Ingredients :

• Spinach : 1 bunch
• Paneer : 200 gm cut into small cubes
• Onion : 1 small finely chopped
• Tomato :1 small finely chopped
• Green chillies :2-3
• Garlic : 5-6 cloves
• Bay leaves : 2 medium
• Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder : 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil : 3-4 tbsp
• Salt to taste 
• sugar :1/2 tbsp
• Kasuri methi : 1/2 tsp
• Fresh cream : 2 tbsp

Procedure :

1)  Rinse the spinach very wall in water.

2)  Boil water in a pan with some salt.

3)  Switch off the fire and add the spinach leaves in the hot water.

4)  Close with a lid and let the spinach leaves sit in the water for
     2-3 mins.

5)  Drain and immediately add the leaves in a pan or bowl containing
     ice cold water. This helps in preserving the green color of the spinach.

6)  Drain and then make smooth puree of spinach in a blender with ginger,
     half garlic and green chilies.

7)  Now heat oil  in a pan and fry paneer cubes very lightly and keep aside.

8)  In the same oil add cumin seeds and bay leaves.

9)  Then add  onions and fry till they become brown.

10) Now add the rest garlic and tomatoes and fry till they become soft.

11) Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder ,stir and fry for some
     seconds.

12) Add the spinach puree and add some water if required.  Simmer for
      6-7 minutes or more till the spinach is cooked.

13) Lastly add salt and garam masala.

14) Add the paneer cubes and cook the gravy till the paneer cubes become
      soft and succulent.

15) Add cream and mix well.Simmer for 30 seconds or a minute.

16) Now sprinkle crushed kasuri methi leaves.

      Serve hot with some rotis, naan or jeera rice.

Komola Bhog

komola bhog

Ingredients:

• Milk: 1 lt
• Lime juice: 2 
• Water: 4 cups
• Sugar : 2 cups
• Elaichi /cardamom: 3-4 (crushed)
• All purpose flour/maida: 1 tsp
• Sooji : 1 tsp
• Orange extract: ½ tsp
• Yellow food color: 4-5 drops

 Note:
       [You also need a strainer and cheese cloth or a piece of muslin.]


Procedure:

1)  Boil the milk. As the milk boils add lime and orange juice. The milk
     will curdle.

2)  Strain the chana.

3)  Hang the chana in the muslin cloth for 20-30min.

4)  Take a large pan with lid; put 4cups of water and 2cups of sugar along
      with crushed cardamom. Let it boil, as the syrup boils simmer the flame.

5)  Mix maida, sooji, orange extract, yellow color with the chana; use your
     palm to  knead the chana into smooth dough.

6)  Make 18-20 equal size round balls from the chana.

7)  Put the chana balls in the boiling hot sugar syrup. Cook in medium flame
     for 20-25mins with a lid on.

8) Check in between and turn the chana balls, if the chana balls tend to stick
    with each other then sprinkle some cold water. Turn off the heat and let
    it sit for half an hour.
 
   Your komola bhog is ready to serve.

komola bhog

Bengali Rosogolla

rosogolla

Ingredients:

• Whole milk: 1 litre
• lemon: 2
• water: 6 cups
• sugar: 2 cups

Procedure:

1) In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, stirring occasionally, making sure

    not to burn milk.As the milk starts boiling, add the lemon juice gradually

    and stir the milk gently.Lower the heat. Almost in  seconds you will see the

    milk curdle and clumps of white milk solids forming.When you see the

    greenish water separating ,take it off from heat. Let it sit for 4-5 minutes.

2) Now drain the chana using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.

    Next lightly rinse the chhana with water to remove the lemony taste and let

    it drain.squeeze out  the remaining water from the chana.  It is very
    important that the chhana is drained of all excess water.  To take out the

    excess water squeeze the cloth, or press the wrapped chana under a heavy

    pan for about one hour.

3) Once the chana is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the

    chhana for 30-35 minutes until the chhana is  almost rolls into smooth soft

    dough .Knead the chana with the heel of your palm .The chhana will look
    like a smooth  dough and your palm will be little greasy from the fat of the
    chhana. 

4)Take small portion of it and roll into small balls between your palm. The

    balls should be smooth and firm. To make the balls thus, first apply a little

    pressure between your palm and then let go, rolling the ball very lightly by

    a circular motion of your palms. Approximately 12-14 balls will be made

    from this measure.

5) In a heavy bottom pan make a syrup adding 6 cups of water and 2 cups

    of sugar. Keep it at medium high heat and bring to boil. Add 2-3 crushed

    cardamom.

6) Add all raw chana balls to the boiling syrup .Cover the pan with lid.Cook

    in high heat for first 4-5 minutes.then  cook for another 20-25 minutes in

    medium heat. Now turn off heat and wait for 10-15 minutes.

   Your rosogolla is ready. You can seve hot or chilled.